Once a Panther, always a Panther

December 04, 2005|MARK BRADFORD Tribune Staff Writer

When it all boils down to it, NorthWood High School football really is all about family. So it was no surprise last Saturday afternoon that Trevor Andrews received five voicemails within five minutes after the Panthers won their first Class 3-A state title in the school's history. Nor is it a surprise that Wes Dodson, former NorthWood star and son of current coach Rich Dodson, spent last Saturday afternoon glued to his computer, listening to the Internet radio announcers call the game. Finally, it's no surprise that it was Andrews who recruited Dodson late last spring to come and help coach at the College of William and Mary, a Division I-AA school rich with football tradition. The position was originally a volunteer position but quickly became a paid position when one of the other coaches left for another job. Andrews, a former quarterback for the Panthers, played defensive back for head coach Mike Kelly at University of Dayton. He now coaches the defensive linemen at WM for coach Jimmye Laycock. "It has obviously been quite a progression for me from quarterback to defensive line," he said. "But all three levels (high school player, college player and now as a coach) have had the same coaching concept. The coaching staffs have been together a long time and that makes the programs stable and successful." Dodson, also a former Panther QB, is a defensive backfield coach and just finished his first season at WM. Andrews led the 1993 Panthers to a state final appearance, the third in school history. They were defeated by Indianapolis Roncalli, 14-12. Dodson led his team to the semistate in 1996, a 27-13 loss to Fort Wayne Dwenger. If they sound like brothers, it is because they are, sort of. Jim Andrews, Trevor's dad, who was NorthWood's head coach since 1972, died in a car accident in 1992. Seven years ago, Trevor's mom Sheri married Rich Dodson. It is as close to an all-football family as one can get. Both Andrews and Dodson are learning about the daily glamour of recruiting, which, of course, is not glamorous at all. In fact, both were in their cars traveling from one high school to another last week, trying to tell the players they were interested in all about WM and to get them to come to school. "I didn't know I was going to be a salesman," Dodson laughed. "But I guess that is what I am these days." Dodson, who played defensive back for Western Michigan, had original plans to be a strength coach. "I really didn't have a real goal of becoming a coach," he said. "But when I got away from football, I found that I missed it too much. I got a grad assistant position when I went for my masters in Sports Management and then Trevor let me know about this job. "Although I'm very impressed and excited to be part of this coaching staff, to be quite honest, I needed a job and WM had one for me." Both hope to have their own head coaching jobs at some point in the future. "One thing I learned about coaching from my father was how much fun it was when all the coaches were friends and stayed with the program year after year," Trevor said. Dodson said that football was also a part of his daily life. "The only thing that surprises me about the college level is how much time we spend watching film and how many hours we put into coaching, especially during the season," he said. "We get to work about 6 a.m. and normally don't get home until 10 p.m. or so." Andrews also had some advice for what high school players should expect if they decide to play college. "The main thing is that, in college, you can't take a single play off," he said. "The coaches watch so much tape and spend so much time analyzing things that that gets picked up really quick. Also make sure you hit the books hard from the beginning. It is hard to recover from a slow start academically." Despite the distance, the family still tries to stay close. Wes said he wasn't able to get through to his father until about 6 p.m. last weekend. "I would say he was really happy when I talked to him," he said. "Heck, he should have been. It has been 34 years in the making." The family also tries to make it out the WM for at least one game every year. "My brother Nate (Andrews) coaches high school football (in the Indianapolis area) and when the season is over, they come on out to watch us play," Trevor said. "Whenever we all get together, there is a lot of football talked about." Wes passed along a more personal message. "I just want to tell that team how proud I am of what they accomplished. And, of course, I'm very proud and happy for my dad. He has done a great job there."